Power supply system

Abstract

A thermosensitive wire includes a pair of conductive wires each covered with an insulator that softens at a preset temperature, and the pair of conductive wires are configured to come into contact with each other to be short-circuited in response to the insulator softening. A power supply system includes: a second power source configured to supply power to the pair of conductive wires; a short circuit detector configured to detect that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited; a disconnection detector configured to detect that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected; and a controller configured to perform, for power supply to a power supply wire, abnormality control that differs between in the case where the short circuit detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited and in the case where the disconnection detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power supply system, comprising:
 a power supply wire located along a route of a mobile object and configured to supply power to the mobile object;   a first power source configured to supply power to the power supply wire;   a thermosensitive wire located along the power supply wire and comprising a pair of conductive wires each covered with an insulator that softens at a preset temperature, the pair of conductive wires configured to come into contact with each other to be short-circuited in response to the insulator softening;   a second power source configured to supply power to the pair of conductive wires;   a short circuit detector configured to detect that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited in a state in which the second power source is energizing the thermosensitive wire;   a disconnection detector configured to detect that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected, a disconnection of the pair of conductive wires being different than a short circuit of the conductive wires in a state in which the second power source is energizing the thermosensitive wire; and   a controller configured to perform, for power supply to the power supply wire, a first abnormality control when the short circuit detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited and a second abnormality control when the disconnection detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected,   wherein the first abnormality control is different from the second abnormality control,   wherein the disconnection detector comprises a first element having make contacts,   wherein the short circuit detector comprises a second element comprising break contacts and a third element comprising make contacts,   wherein the first element is configured to be in an ON state when the pair of conductive wires are in a normal condition or in a short-circuited condition, and to be in an OFF state when the pair of conductive wires are in a disconnected condition,   wherein the second element is configured to be in an OFF state when the pair of conductive wires are in a normal condition or in a short-circuited condition, and to be in an ON state when the pair of conductive wires are in a disconnected condition, and   wherein the third element is configured to be in an ON state when the pair of conductive wires are in a normal condition, and to be in an OFF state when the pair of conductive wires are in a short-circuited condition or in a disconnected condition.   
     
     
         2 . The power supply system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive input of information from a user and output information for the user, and   wherein the controller is configured to:
 in the case where the short circuit detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited, (i) immediately stop the power supply to the power supply wire from the first power source, (ii) output, by the user interface power supply abnormality information indicating an abnormality of the power supply wire, and (iii) suspend the power supply to the power supply wire until the user interface receives input indicating verification that the power supply wire is a normal condition, as the abnormality control; and 
 in the case where the disconnection detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected, (i) continue the power supply to the power supply wire from the first power source and (ii) output, by the user interface check request information requesting to check a state of the thermosensitive wire, as the abnormality control. 
   
     
     
         3 . The power supply system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein to continue the power supply to the power supply wire from the first power source includes:   to temporarily stop the power supply to the power supply wire from the first power source and   thereafter resume the power supply to the power supply wire from the first power source in response to the user interface receiving input indicating permission to continue the power supply to the power supply wire.   
     
     
         4 . The power supply system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power source abnormality detector configured to detect that a voltage of the second power source is less than or equal to a preset criterion voltage, and   wherein the controller is configured to, in the case where the power source abnormality detector detects that the voltage of the second power source is less than or equal to the criterion voltage, perform, for the power supply to the power supply wire, abnormality control that differs from in the case where the short circuit detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited and in the case where the disconnection detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected.   
     
     
         5 . The power supply system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive input of information from a user and output information for the user, and
 wherein the controller is configured to, in the case where the power source abnormality detector detects that the voltage of the second power source is less than or equal to the criterion voltage, (i) immediately stop the power supply to the power supply wire from the first power source, (ii) output, by the user interface second power source abnormality information indicating an abnormality of the second power source, and (iii) suspend the power supply to the power supply wire until the user interface receives input indicating verification that the second power source is a normal condition. 
   
     
     
         6 . The power supply system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first terminal pair to which respective first ends of the pair of conductive wires are connected; and   a pair of first connection lines connecting the first terminal pair and the second power source,   wherein the disconnection detector includes a first element configured to monitor a current flowing through the pair of first connection lines, and   wherein the first element is connected to a branch wire connected in parallel to the pair of first connection lines.   
     
     
         7 . The power supply system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first terminal pair to which respective first ends of the pair of conductive wires are connected;   a second terminal pair to which respective second ends of the pair of conductive wires are connected;   a pair of first connection lines connecting the first terminal pair and the second power source; and   a second connection line connecting terminals of the second terminal pair to each other,   wherein the short circuit detector comprises:
 a second element configured to monitor a current flowing through the pair of first connection lines; and 
 a third element configured to monitor a current flowing through the second connection line, and 
   wherein the second element is connected to a branch wire connected in parallel with the pair of first connection lines.   
     
     
         8 . A power supply system, comprising:
 a power supply wire located along a route of a mobile object and configured to supply power to the mobile object;   a first power source configured to supply power to the power supply wire;   a thermosensitive wire located along the power supply wire and comprising a pair of conductive wires each covered with an insulator that softens at a preset temperature, the pair of conductive wires configured to come into contact with each other to be short-circuited in response to the insulator softening;   a second power source configured to supply power to the pair of conductive wires;   a short circuit detector configured to detect that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited in a state in which the second power source is energizing the thermosensitive wire;   a disconnection detector configured to detect that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected, a disconnection of the pair of conductive wires being different than a short circuit of the conductive wires in a state in which the second power source is energizing the thermosensitive wire; and   a controller configured to perform, for power supply to the power supply wire, a first abnormality control when the short circuit detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are short-circuited and a second abnormality control when a disconnection detector detects that the pair of conductive wires are disconnected,   wherein the first abnormality control is different from the second abnormality control,   wherein the short circuit detector comprises a first element having make contacts,   wherein the disconnection detector comprises a second element having make contacts,   wherein the first element is configured to be in an ON state when the pair of conductive wires are in a normal condition or in a short-circuited condition, and to be in an OFF state when the pair of conductive wires are in a disconnected condition, and   wherein the second element is configured to be in an ON state when the pair of conductive wires are in a normal condition, and to be in an OFF state when the pair of conductive wires are in a short-circuited condition or a disconnected condition.